Walk Away
by lemon31
Summary: Part 9 of the Soundtrack Series. How could something so perfect suddenly go so wrong? Ryan tries to make sense of Chad's behaviour. Chyan. Slash.


**Author's Note #1: **Okay, it was just pointed out to me on Livejournal that I have been a bit foolish and missed out _Walk Away_ completely. My copy of the soundtrack has _Scream _and _Walk Away_ in the wrong order, but I've seen the movie three times so I really should know *facepalm*.

Anyway, this chapter (well, the beginning) takes place at the same time as the last one, but from Ryan's perspective. Hope it works.

**Author's Note #2: **I've included lyrics from_ Last Chance_ as well as _Walk Away._

****

Chad's shoulders were hunched as he walked towards the front door, and from his seat in the car, Ryan couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.

He should have said something, anything, or perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't spoken at all. Whenever Ryan found himself in an awkward situation or with someone who insisted on staring moodily out of the window, he would babble incessantly. Chad was clearly upset about something, but for the life of him Ryan couldn't work it out at all. The day at Gabi's has gone perfectly, he felt accepted at last and so proud of Chad for outing himself publicly. He re-evaluated the afternoon but couldn't think of anything that would provoke such a dramatic reaction in Chad.

Glancing up at Chad's window he saw the light click out, and felt as if the balloon that had expanded within him during the day had been punctured. Still racking his brain for a reason, he drove home at a far slower speed than usual, wanting the time to think without hearing his sister screeching.

****

Chad didn't surface for a couple of days, but to Ryan it felt like eternity.

Every text he sent was unanswered, every phone call was met with voicemail and every time he drove past the Danforth residence, all was quiet, the curtains of Chad's bedroom tightly closed.

It would be easy for him to charm his way past Chad's mother and rush up to the bedroom, demanding to know why the hell his seemingly perfect boyfriend was acting as a recluse.

That would be too easy, though, and not in the least bit tactful, and, unlike his sister, Ryan valued tact. However, it meant he spent hours agonizing over the problem without forming any plan of action. Again and again he turned over the events of the day with the Wildcats but kept drawing a blank. The unfairness of it all felt like a slap in the face – he'd finally found someone who saw him as a person, rather than a sidekick, and was so damn gorgeous it ought to be illegal. Playing the loudest, fastest music he owned, Ryan danced in the Evans' studio 'til his legs ached and his head span.

Sharpay, of course, noticed nothing different about her brother. He could be bleeding to death and she would be preoccupied with the chips in her nail varnish. Okay, that was a huge exaggeration but Ryan was fed up with being ignored; Chad had cut him off completely, Sharpay went around in her own bitchy bubble and his parents patted him on the head, kissed his cheek and pressed crisp dollar notes into his hand.

It was, therefore, a blessing when Sharpay ordered him to assist her on a shopping trip the following morning. Anything was better than sitting around at home, waiting for something that would possible never happen. What the _hell _had he done wrong, anyway?

His reflection stared back at him, blue eyes wide, hat tilted at an angle. He ran a finger along his lower lip, remembering the feel of Chad's mouth crushed, almost painfully, against it. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he couldn't resist a cocky wink at his reflection. He may have lost the boy, but _damn_ he'd still got it.

****

Truth be told, Ryan would rather have remained at home than endure what had become a frenzy of changing rooms, meek store assistants and one shoe shop too many. It wasn't that he disliked the bustling atmosphere of the mall on a Saturday morning, on the contrary, he adored browsing the designer stores (preferably with Chad in tow, but let's leave those memories alone), but he'd become Sharpay's glorified packhorse and his arms were beginning to ache with the weight of shopping bags.

Unable to extract a hand to put his sunglasses on, he was temporarily blinded as they stepped out from the cool interior of yet another store that didn't meet Sharpay's high standards. A brown smudge materialized in front of Ryan and, blinking, he realised that it was none other than Chad himself, trying to force his way through the crowds in the opposite direction from the Evans'. Promptly dropping the bags at (and on) Sharpay's feet, Ryan raced towards Chad, ignoring his sister's cries of protest and the disapproving glances of other shoppers as he knocked them out of the way. Finally breaking free from a swarming mass of people clustered around a food stall, he reached out, tripped and managed to catch himself by shoving Chad against the nearest wall.

Brown eyes widened with shock and the warm body beneath Ryan's hands squirmed to break free. Ryan gripped his shirt collar tightly, voice sounding harsher than he intended,

"You better have a damn good reason for avoiding me, Danforth, because Evans' don't take kindly to being ignored."

Chad stopped trying to free himself and visibly shrank under Ryan's furious glare. Looking everywhere but those penetrating eyes, he spoke softly, sounding almost defeated,

"I really wish I could blame you, but I know it's no one's fault, least of all yours."

In no mood for cryptic messages Ryan shook his shoulders, ignoring the stares of passers-by.

"Blame me? What on earth are you on about?"

"It's your dream, Ryan, to go to New York and there's no way I could follow." Glancing briefly up at the other boy he added quickly, "I'm not.....I would never ask you to stay here, never."

"So that's it? You're just going to walk away from _this_?" Ryan gestured between the two of them.

"I should have known better to believe my luck could change; I've been overshadowed by Troy my whole life and gained nothing for my loyalty. Now I'm losing you and I couldn't bear to say goodbye to your face."

Ryan felt his throat constrict and the bottom of his stomach drop out. Relaxing his grip on Chad's shirt collar he cupped the other boy's cheek, speaking so quietly only Chad could possibly hear.

"You know I'm strong, but I can't take that, Chad. I've lent my heart out forever to you, and I don't intend to take it back. Forget the distance, forget the changes, you will always have me, so please, don't walk away."

Ryan's voice cracked as he finished talking, feeling choked with tears he hadn't allowed himself to shed.

Chad leaned forward to kiss away the salty trails making their way down Ryan's cheeks.

"I don't think I'll survive a 'goodbye' like that again."

Falling forward, suddenly weak, Ryan allowed himself to be supported by Chad's arms, relishing their almost suffocating grasp around him.

"So, don't say goodbye."

"You're leaving – "

"That doesn't mean I won't come back. We should spend these final days together, not isolating ourselves and trying to ignore the problem."

"Why are you so....._logical_? I know I've been stupid, pushing you away like that was cruel......"

As Chad's voice trailed off Ryan stepped back slightly, taking in his furrowed brow and the desperate look in his eyes. Brushing the remaining tears off both his and Chad's cheeks, he entwined their fingers and exhaled slowly.

"Yes, you have been stupid and downright cruel, but that's not going to stop me wanting you," He paused, "loving you, because Chad Danforth," Ryan stared defiantly up at him, "I _do _love you, and moving to New York is not going to change that. So, come on, it's our last chance to share the stage, before we go our separate ways. Let's make the most of it."

Chad tried vainly to suppress a chuckle.

"What, _what_?!"

"Nothing, don't worry. Only you could bring theatre into every conversation; 'share the stage' indeed!"

" 'The whole world's a stage' as a great playwright once wrote, and you better believe it, Danforth, because I'm not going to have my Graduation ruined by your melodrama upstaging me!"

Drawing Ryan back into his arms, Chad squeezed the other boy tightly, intending to hang on to him for as long as he possibly could.

**Please review!**


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